Pencil-sharpener.



No. 703,967. Patented July I, l902..

W. DBYRNE.

PENCIL SHABPENER. (Application filed Aug. 21, 1901!) (No Mudel.)

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UNITED STATES \VILLIAM OBYRNE, OF NEWV YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM WINTERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PENClL-SHARPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,967, dated July 1,1902. Application filed August 21, 1901. Serial No. 72,838. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM OBYRNE, a citizen of the UnitedStates-residing at and whose post-office address is New York, in thecounty of New York and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Pencil-Sharpeners, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to Sharpeners especially designed for sharpeninglead-pencils, but also adapted for use inpointing skewers, toys, andother articles.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pencil-sharpenerwhich will be so constructed as to cut the wood of the pencil with thegrain thereof instead of directly against the grain, thus avoiding thebreaking or splitting of the wood and permitting a free shearing cut ofthe wood and an easy rotary movement of the sharpener.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sharpener which willavoid the too-abrupt pointing of the lead of the pencil and leave a leadpoint of a substantial and durable character, the angle of inclinationof which will be less than that of the wooden portion of the point.

A further object is to provide a sharpener which will be self-adjustingto adapt it to pencils of varying size.

Another characteristic of the present invention is that it is soconstructed as to be inclosed by a tubular cover or casing fitting overthe sharpener when the latter is not in use and serving also as asupport for a rubber eraser.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafterin connection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification, and its novel features will be defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sharpener embodyingthe invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the sharpener with itsinclosing casing in position thereon. Fig. 3 shows the sharpener inelevation and the casing in longitudinal section.

The reference-numeral 1 designates a hollow metallic cone formed withaspiral slot 2, extending throughout the length of the cone. The wall 3of this slot is slightly depressed and sharpened to serve as the cuttingedge of the device, andthe oppositewall 4 is beveled on its outersurface to guide the shavings as they pass through the slot. From thepoint 5 to its apex .the cone is inclined at a less acute angle thanfrom said point 5 to the base of the cone, the purpose of thisconstruction being to correspondingly reduce the angle of inclination ofthe finished lead point relatively to the wooden'portion of the point,and thus leave a lead point of increased thickness, insuring greaterresistance to breakage.

From the base of the cone 1 depends a hollow cylindrical extension 6,formed integral with the cone and connecting the latter with acircumferentially-enlarged hollow portion 7, also formed integral withthe cone and its cylindrical extension and having an annular shoulder 8,serving as a seat for the lower end of a tubular cover or casing 9,which is adapted to inclose the cone, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, andextends above the cone a sufficient dis tance to adapt it to receive aneraser 10, inserted into its upper end. The cover or casingiis retainedin position by the frictional engagement of its lower end with thecylindrical extension 6 of the cone.

. The portion 7 of the sharpener is milled or roughened, as shown at11,- to afford a firm grasping surface for the thumb and fingers,

thus facilitating the manipulation of the device.

To adapt the sharpener to pencils of varying size, the extension 6 andfinger-piece 7 are formed with a longitudinal slit 12, the upper end ofwhich communicates with or intersects a horizontal slit 13, formed atthe juncture of the base of the cone with the extension 6 and extendingonly part way around the base of the cone, thereby providing a yieldingcylindrical extension.

The utility and operation of the implement will be readily understood.The spiralcu'tting edge operates in line with the grain of the wood, asdistinguished fromthecut of a straight cutting edge against the grain,and the variation of the angle of inclination of that portion of thecone which operates upon the lead of the pencil I regard as an importantfeature of the invention.

The adj nstability of the sharpener to adapt it to pencils of largerdiameter than that of the base of the cone is also an obvious advantageof the improved sharpener.

I claim A pencil-sharpener comprising a hollow cone, the angle ofinclination thereof being less at its upper portion than that of theremainder thereof and formed with a spiral slot continuously extendingthroughout the length of the cone, including said upper portion, wherebya cutting edge is provided, a

